HOW DID THE EUROPEANS AFFECT THE NATIVE AMERICANS?

TRADE

Every European empire traded with the Native Americans

The Native Americans wanted tools, weapons, metals, beads and more from the Europeans

The Europeans wanted things like food and furs

The French did a lot of trading to make money on furs

DISEASES

The Europeans brought over diseases without realizing it

Mostly smallpox and measles

The Europeans did not die from the diseases, but the Native Americans did

RELOCATION

As the Europeans settled in the Americas, they forced the Native Americans off of their lands

The Europeans kept forcing the Native Americans farther away

FORCED LABOR

The Europeans enslaved the Native Americans and forced them to do work such as searching for gold and growing crops

The Spanish enslaved the most Native Americans, but other Europeans enslaved them too

Many Native Americans died from the work they were forced to do.

FIGHTING

The Europeans and Native Americans fought many times

They would fight over land, resources and many other problems

The Europeans had better weapons, and many Native Americans had already died from diseases, so the Europeans often won

RELIGION

All of the European empires were Christian

They wanted to spread Christianity by converting the Native Americans, usually by force

The Native Americans already had their own religions

HOW TO ACT OUT TRADE BETWEEN THE EUROPEANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS

Make props of the goods you are trading Talk about what you think is a fair price Talk about why you want the other person’s

goods

HOW TO ACT OUT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES FROM THE EUROPEANS TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS

Show that the Europeans are sick (sneeze, tell the audience you have dots like smallpox)

Show that the Native Americans catch the diseases (they may sneeze, put their hand on their head like they don’t feel well, lay on the floor)

Show that the Native Americans died (lie down on the floor and close your eyes)

HOW TO ACT OUT THE RELOCATION OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS

Have the Europeans talk about settling on empty land

Have the Native Americans talk about how it is not empty and they live there

Have the Europeans take the land from the Native Americans (fighting, buying the land)

Have the Native Americans walk away (talk about how they are losing their home)

HOW TO ACT OUT THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS

Show the Native Americans doing work while the Europeans fight (planting food, digging for gold)

Show the Europeans capturing the Native Americans in a fight

HOW TO ACT OUT A FIGHT BETWEEN THE EUROPEANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS

Make props to use in the fight Show one group starting the fight Talk about what you are fighting over Show one group win

HOW TO ACT OUT THE EUROPEANS CONVERTING THE NATIVE AMERICANS

Have the Europeans talk about why they want to convert the Native Americans

Have the Native Americans say they have their own religion

CONCLUSION

Long lasting effects for Native Americans – continued to lose land and power for centuries

Today there is more awareness for Native Americans’ rights

Many Native Americans still work to preserve their culture.